Comunicación corta. Prevalencia de la loque americana en un apiario comercial encabezado por reinas seleccionadas por comportamiento higiénico

American foulbrood (AFB), caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae is a serious disease of honey bees worldwide that inflicts considerable economic losses on beekeepers. The aim of this investigation was to determine the spread of AFB in a commercial apiary headed by queens selected for hygienic behaviour (HB), and to estimate the agreement between microbiological methods for the isolation of P. larvae from honey samples (HS) or bee samples (BS). All work was undertaken in a commercial apiary that showed visual signs of AFB infection. Hives positive for AFB were isolated from the apiary and the queens of the remaining hives replaced by others selected for HB. The prevalence of AFB was then recorded by monitoring visual signs of the disease, and via the isolation of P. larvae spores from HS and BS. The hives showed no clinical signs of AFB although HS testing showed 50% to harbour P. larvae spores after one year. This percentage decreased to 26% by the end of the study. The spore loads of the HS and BS were low (between 0.33 and 5 CFU/plate for HS and 0.33 and 12 CFU/plate for BS). No agreement was seen between the two microbiological isolation methods as assessed by the Kappa coefficient (P > 0.05). Sixty percent false negatives were recorded for the HS method. The BS method was more sensitive and is the best option for the early diagnosis of AFB; this, plus the use of HB lines may be sufficient for the control of this disease.La loque americana (AFB) es una enfermedad causada por Paenibacillus larvae que ha provocado importantes pérdidas económicas a la apicultura. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la difusión de AFB en un apiario comercial encabezado por reinas seleccionadas por comportamiento higiénico (HB) y estimar la concordancia entre dos métodos microbiológicos de aislamiento de esporas de P. larvae a partir de muestras de miel (HS) y abejas (BS). El trabajo se realizó en un apiario comercial que presentó signos clínicos de AFB; las colmenas que tuvieron diagnóstico positivo fueron retiradas del apiario y a las restantes se les recambió las reinas utilizando líneas seleccionadas por HB. Se monitoreó la prevalencia de AFB mediante la presencia de signos clínicos y el aislamiento de esporas de P. larvae a partir de HS y BS. Las colmenas no presentaron signos clínicos de AFB, sin embargo, el 50% de las mismas fueron positivas al aislamiento de P. larvae luego de un año, este porcentaje disminuyó al 26% al finalizar el ensayo. La carga de esporos presentes en las muestras HS y BS de la colmenas fue baja, registrándose entre 0,33 y 5 CFU/placa para HS y 0,33 y 12 CFU/placa para BS. No hay concordancia entre los métodos de aislamiento (P > 0,05). Los resultados de HS arrojaron un 60% de falsos negativos. Para un diagnóstico temprano de AFB, el método de aislamiento a partir de abejas es más sensible que el de miel. Nuestros resultados muestran que, con la detección temprana de la enfermedad y la utilización de genética HB sería suficiente para controlar AFB

Metodología analítica para la detección de residuos de oxitetraciclina en miel

Se ha desarrollado un método rápido y preciso, para la determinación de concentraciones residuales de oxitetraciclina en miel, realizando una doble extracción con acetona y HPLC fase reversa en modo isocrático con detector UV. El límite de cuantificación fue de 0,05 mg/g, y la recuperación de la droga en este nivel fue del 90

Metodología analítica para la detección de residuos de oxitetraciclina en miel

A rapid and precise method has been developed to detect residual concentrations of oxytetracycline in honey by a double extraction with acetone and reverse phase HPLC, working in isocratic mode and UV detector. The quantification limit was 0.05 mg/g obtaining a 90% recovery at this level.Se ha desarrollado un método rápido y preciso, para la determinación de concentraciones residuales de oxitetraciclina en miel, realizando una doble extracción con acetona y HPLC fase reversa en modo isocrático con detector UV. El límite de cuantificación fue de 0,05 mg/g, y la recuperación de la droga en este nivel fue del 90%

V3 Serological Subtyping of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Infection Is Not Relevant

V3 enzyme immunoassays have been shown to discriminate effectively between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtypes. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of V3 serotyping for HIV-2 infection. We serotyped 29 sera with three peptides, corresponding to the V3 loop of subtypes A, B, and D of HIV-2. Sera were collected from HIV-2-infected patients, whose infecting strains were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Our results indicate that HIV-2 serotyping using V3 peptides is not relevant. V3 serotyping data were not consistent with genotyping results. The V3-A and V3-D peptides displayed poor discrimination, and the V3-B peptide was not representative of circulating viruses. Comparison of amino acid sequences and serotype reactivities demonstrated the importance of positions 309 and 314, located on either side of the tip of the V3 loop, in antibody binding

Evolutive behavior towards cardiomyopathy of treated (nifurtimox or benznidazole) and untreated chronic chagasic patients Evolução à miocardiopatia dos infectados chagásicos crônicos tratados (nifurtimox ou benzonidazol) e não tratados

The aim of this work was to compare the evolution of chronic chagasic untreated patients (UTPs) with that of benznidazole or nifurtimox-treated patients (TPs). A longitudinal study from a low endemic area (Santa Fe city, Argentina) was performed during an average period of 14 years. Serological and parasitological analyses with clinical exams, ECG and X-chest ray were carried out. At the onset, 19/198 infected patients showed chagasic cardiomyopathy (CrChM) while 179 were asymptomatic. In this latter group the frequency of CrChM during the follow-up was lower in TPs compared with UTPs (3.2% vs 7%). Within the CrChM group, 2/5 TPs showed aggravated myopathy whereas this happened in 9/14 UTPs. Comparing the clinical evolution of all patients, 5.9% of TPs and 13% of UTPs had unfavourable evolution, but the difference is not statistically relevant. Serological titers were assessed by IIF. Titers equal to or lower than 1/64 were obtained in 86% of the TPs, but only in 38% of UTPs. The differences were statistically significant (geometric mean: 49.36 vs. 98.2). Antiparasitic assessment of the drugs (xenodiagnosis) proved to be effective. The low sensitivity in chronic chagasic patients must be born in mind. Despite treated patients showed a better clinical evolution and lower antibody levels than untreated ones, it is necessary to carry on doing research in order to improve therapeutic guidelines, according to the risk/benefit equation and based on scientific and ethical principles.<br>Para comparar a evolução dos infectados chagásicos crônicos não tratados (UTPs) e tratados (TPs) com nifurtimox ou benznidazol, fez-se um estudo longitudinal numa área de baixa endemicidade (cidade de Santa Fe, Argentina), com média de seguimento de 14 anos. Em cada controle foram feitas análises sorológicas e parasitológicas, exames clínicos, eletrocardiográficos e radiológicos. No inicio, 19/198 infectados apresentaram miocardiopatia chagásica crônica (MChCr), enquanto 179 eram assintomáticos. A frequência de MChCr no seguimento destes últimos foi 3,2% para os tratados e 7% para os não tratados. Dos pacientes com MChCr no início, 2/5 dos tratados e 9/14 dos não tratados agravaram sua miocardiopatia. Comparando a evolução clínica dos infectados, 5,9% dos tratados e 13% dos não tratados tiveram evolução desfavorável, mas esta diferença não é estatisticamente significativa. Na avaliação sorológica por IFI, 86% dos TPs e só 38% dos UTPs apresentaram títulos menores ou iguais a 1/64. As diferenças são estatisticamente significativas (média geométrica: 49,36 vs 98,2). Os xenodiagnósticos seriados realizados, demonstraram efetividade das drogas (considerar a baixa sensibilidade deste método na etapa crônica). Os pacientes tratados mostraram melhor evolução clínica e mais baixos níveis de anticorpos do que os não tratados. É preciso continuar as investigações para estabelecer pautas terapêuticas mais claras sobre a relação risco-benefício, sustentadas nos princípios científicos e éticos

Urban inequities; urban rights: a conceptual analysis and review of impacts on children, and policies to address them.

This paper explores current conceptual understanding of urban social, environmental, and health inequality and inequity, and looks at the impact of these processes on urban children and young people in the 21st century. This conceptual analysis was commissioned for a discussion paper for UNICEF's flagship publication: State of the World's Children 2012: Children in an Urban World. The aim of the paper is to examine evidence on the meaning of urban inequality and inequity for urban children and young people. It further looks at the controversial policies of targeting "vulnerable" young people, and policies to achieve the urban MDGs. Finally, the paper looks briefly at the potential of concepts such as environment justice and rights to change our understanding of urban inequality and inequity